...for whatever reason. I personally think that they should try to move up but they should NOT trade Mirotic for a pick in this year's draft. Why? A few reasons.

1. For all those idiots who scream from the mountain tops that the Bulls should AMNESTY BOOZER, please shut up. It will happen after next season. The Bulls are over the salary cap by MORE than Boozer's salary. So, if they amnesty him, they have to pay him and still have no room to sign someone. So, I am not enamored with Carlos by any means, but we aren't better without him. When Deng's contract comes off the books after the 2014 season, the Bulls will amnesty Boozer and have room to sign a 2nd tier free agent.

2. Just when Boozer is sent packing, Mirotic will be able to sign for any amount the Bulls wish to offer. Currently, he is stuck in the rookie slot salary number. I don't remember the real numbers, but it's something like this. He makes let's say $5,000,000 a year currently. His buyout is $2,000,000, of which the Bulls can only pay $500,000. They can only pay him $2,000,000 a year. So, he would basically be losing millions of dollars to sit behind Boozer next season. So, when Boozer does get amnestied, a significant portion of the money the Bulls are able to use will be put towards Mirotic to play PF.

3. 2014 has a chance to be one of the best drafts in years. It could be on par with the 2003 draft as far as franchise changing talent. So, why would the Bulls waste one of the better assets in the NBA (taking of course salary and availability into consideration, since someone like Durant or LeBron are technically the best assets) during a draft that is by most accounts VERY weak? Mirotic could end up doing NOTHING in the NBA, but he just won the MVP of his Spanish league. I personally think he has a chance to be an NBA All-Star, but I am NOT a scout so I will just have to wait and see. Hell, he might not EVER come over to the NBA for all we know and the Bulls and to a much lesser extent myself will look like complete morons. The same goes for the Charlotte 1st round pick. Top 12 protected next year (which will not be higher than 12) and Top 8 protected in 2015 (which most likely will STILL not be higher than), but completely unprotected in 2016. That could be a Top 5 pick because Charlotte sucks and will for at least a few more years.

The Bulls are a Top 5 NBA team RIGHT NOW when they have their whole team on the floor. Mirotic can come over in 2014 or 2015 and the Bulls can grab a stud prospect in 2016 with the Charlotte pick. They have talented youth coming in already in the next 3 or 4 seasons because of that. I think that Gar/Pax should be applauded for turning their 2 worst draft mistakes (James Johnson and Tyrus Thomas) into those two VERY good assets. Unless they can get that ONE guy that they believe will be a Superstar (McLemore maybe?), they should just stand pat. If the Bulls were able to turn someone like Taj Gibson and an unprotected 2016 pick (since they already have the Charlotte pick, they won't need to add 2 rookies with guaranteed 1st round money anyway) to move up from #20 to #9 - #15 and grab Shabazz Muhammed I would LOVE that. I believe he is the type of player that would be perfect for the Bulls, as they are in desperate need of someone besides Derrick Rose who can create his own shot. I think Thibs would be a great coach for him too, since by all accounts he is a hard working guy who isn't afraid to get his butt chewed out and work on his game. Now, the recently rumored Deng and #20 for #3 and Okafor would be a good trade, IMO, if not a bit risky because it COULD ruin the Bulls chance to compete for a title in 2013-2014. Which, if I haven't made it obvious, is a very real possibility. Miami is great, but I don't think that Wade is ever going to be a Top 10 player again and the Bulls are strong in the positions that Miami is weakest. PG and C. They are also very much above average right now at SF and PF, with Deng being an All-Star and Boozer able to put the ball in the basket and rebound (I think the last game against Miami Boozer had 26 and 14 or something to that extent). I know that people think the Wizards would be insane to do that, but they have talented young players. They need defense and veteran leadership to help them become a playoff team NOW. Luol Deng brings both at a position of need. If they take Otto Porter, that could be a good player for them in a few years. But, John Wall could bolt because he is sick of losing. Who is more important? Otto Porter or John Wall? Plus, let's face it. Deng is an All-Star, is one of the best team oriented players in all of the NBA, and if it doesn't work out he has an expiring contract. Why would the Bulls want to make that trade? Well, in my opinion they would do it if McLemore falls to #3 and they have him pegged as the next Ray Allen. It's risky, but I personally think that Deng will break down in a few years anyway so they should do what they can to get an asset for him now. Especially since Jimmy Butler has emerged and has shown that he can handle starting at the 3 spot as an everyday player. Also, they need a backup center and Okafor would be a decent fit for a playoff run with an expiring contract.

...I was a little long winded there. Ha! I woke up about an hour before my alarm for work and must have been dreaming of the NBA Draft or something because I have been ready to talk hoops since my eyes opened. Don't get me started on the mock drafts that have the Bulls taking Tony Mitchell either. Not to babble on and on (again) but since Gar/Pax took over in 2003 (a week or so before the best draft of the 2000's) the Bulls have taken:

They ALL made it to the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament or better. Now, with the Bulls a Top 4 team in the NBA (when healthy, of course), are they going to buck the trend and take an underperformer from a small school like North Texas? Or, are they going to take the starting center from the NCAA Champions in Gorgui Dieng? Hmmmmm.

Great comment! You should space your paragraphs more, because sometimes could be very difficult to read but what you are saying is very reasonable and I agree. Do you think Thibs would use an unproved rookie (McLemore?) for extended minutes? I have mixed feelings with this topic because I really want this team to have a shot at the title, because when they are all healthy it's a top 5 team but when you have the opportunity to add a good player in a position you hadn't found the solution in a long time, maybe it's to time to pull the trigger and see what's happen.

there is an All-Star in the Top 5, they make a deal. I personally would love McLemore. Or, Shabazz Muhammed might be available in the "teens" of this draft. He INSTANTLY becomes the 2nd best on the Bulls at creating his own shot. By all accounts, he isn't afraid to work on his game in the gym and a coach like Thibs would really help his development. He is one of the best "scorers" in this draft and offers one of the few things that the Bulls really are lacking. Also, at a position (SF) that will be open after this upcoming season.

What would it take to move up 10 spots in this draft? A future draft pick? Maybe the 2016 1st rounder?

DRAFT IS ALMOST HERE!!! One of my best friends is working at the Berto Center tonight for the draft so I will try to keep you guys in the loop of any solid rumors I get.

I would make a trade in the second round (if he falls down there) to draft Ricardo Ledo. He could be a steal in this year's draft and could be a cheap solution down the line for the SG position. Let him play the Jimmy Butler type of minutes the first year (as Thibs loves to do with his rookie players) and in the second year slowly gives him more minutes.

I think the Bulls should be aggressive and make a move, but it is just not in Pax's nature to do so. I think if Aldrige is available from Portland, you have to do what you can to make that work (including trading anyone other than Rose and picks and Mirotic) but again, I don't think they will.

They are trying to move up in the draft (top 5) and the whispers I hear is that they are enamored with a wing player and it is believed that the player is Oladipo. But I don't see it happening either.

Another year of treading water this year until they can either trade Deng, re-sign Deng to a cap friendlier contract, amnesty Boozer and hope that Mirotic will come to the states and be the impact player many think he can be.

So, they stay at 20 and draft someone like Plumlee from Duke. It is the Bulls way.

Yes I think they should. The NBA is about talent. The more talent you have the better your chance of winning is. In theory a player taken at the top of a draft will have more talent then a player taken lower in the draft. Yes the Bulls have put together very successful regular seasons but playoff basketball is a different story. They need someone who can score in playoff basketball who can hit the open shot or take his man one on one to the basket and score. Miami will put James on Rose in end of game situations and James can stop Rose. The Bulls need someone who can score.

They can not wait until 2014 and just assume that if they clear cap space a star will come their way. It just has not happened. For whatever reason stars do not want to play in Chicago so they end up paying a max contract to someone who does not deserve a max contract.

The Bulls need to put talent around Rose to keep Rose in Chicago. His brother has already mentioned how the Bulls are not putting talent around him. I know this is Reggie talking but if he thinks it Derrick is likely thinking it. At this stage of his career in Cleveland did anyone think LeBron would leave? If he would leave Cleveland why would we think Derrick would not leave Chicago?

I don't think the Bulls can get out of the East next year with the team they have + #20. So imo they need to do something to attempt to put together a team that could beat Miami and/or Indiana. Paxson has said it is all about winning Championships and they will be judged by Championships. Being #2 or #3 in the East and winning a series or 2 is not good enough.